Knee-pad for miners.



N. 6n G. O. HORATH & R. WILLIAMS. KNEE PAD FOR MINERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1909.

926,328. Patented June 29, 1909.

. )1; C ammo vihwouo ZWM W attozmzq UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICHOLAS HORATH, GROVER G. HORATH, AND ROBERT WILLIAMS, OF KEENSBURG,ILLINOIS.

KNEE-PAD FOR MINERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NICHOLAS I-IoRA'rH, GROVER O. HORATH, and ROBERTWILLIAMS, citizens of the United States, residing at Keensburg, in thecounty of Wabash and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Knee-Pads for Miners, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in knee pads and leg bracesespecially adapted for use by miners.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical deviceof this character which may be readily applied to the foot and lowerpart of the leg or limb, without restricting the freedom of movement ofthe same and which will not only provide an effective cushion for theknee when the wearer must kneel on stones or other rough surfaces butwill also prevent him from slipping ,on inclined or uneven surfaces andfurther support the knee off of or above the ground to thereby excludedampness from the knee.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel features of construction and the combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation showingthe invention applied; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the limb bent;Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device; Fig. 4 is a horizontalsection through the pad proper Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectionthrough the same; Fig. 6 is a detail view of a modified form of kneepad; and Fig. 7 is a detail view of the heel strap.

The improved knee pad comprises a metal body portion 1 having a backingor lining 2 of felt or other soft material which is in direct contactwith the knee and forms a cushion for the latter. The metal body 1 ofthe knee pad is curved transversely, as shown in Fig. 4, and alsolongitudinally, as shown in Fig. 5, so that it is substantiallyarc-shaped or moon-shaped when viewed from the side. This peculiar shapeof the knee pad gives its outer face a hollow central portion 3 with twohorns or spurs 4 at its ends. These horns or spurs are provided for thepurpose of causing the pad to effectively engage an inclined, rough oruneven surface to prevent the knee from slipping. This peculiar shape ofthe metal body of the pad also throws the knee in the cushion backing orlining 2 above or out of contact with the ground so that any water ormoisture on the ground will not be taken up to the knee. 1 of metal, theknee will be protected from the sharp edges and corners of rocks and thelife of the pad will be much longer than if it were constructed of othermaterial liable to be cut and worn by sharp rocks.

While any suitable means may be provided for applying the knee pad tothe human limb, the same is preferably effected by a harness consistingof two side bars'5 arranged on opposite sides of the lower portion ofthe limb and extending from the knee down to the foot. The lower ends ofthe bars 5 are pivoted at 6 to a U-shaped strap 7 which extends aroundthe heel and has its ends engaged with an instep strap 8. The latter hasa buckle 9 at one end and its other end is apertured for engagement withthe buckle, whereby the device may be adjusted on the foot of thewearer. The upper ends of the side bars 5 are adjustably connected tothe metal body portion 1 of the knee pad by forming in said bars alongitudinal series of apertures 10 to receive adjusting bolts 11arranged in rearwardly projecting ears 12 formed integral with the metalbody 1 of the knee cap at central points on its side edges. Said ears 12are also formed, adjacent their extremities, with vertical slots 13 toreceive a leg strap 14 by means of which the device is fastened to theupper part of the leg or limb. Said strap 14, as shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings, passes through the slots 13 of both ears 12 and its ends arebrought together and adj ustably connected by a buckle or the like 15.The heel strap 7 is preferably made of metal and its ends are formedwith parallel slots 7 to slidably receive the instep strap 8, wherebythe latter may be readily adjusted.

The pad shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings is especially adapted for theuse of brick layers, stone masons and the like and its metal bodyportion 1 has a uniform transverse curvature but no longitudinalcurvature so that this form of the invention is without the spurs 4. Itwill be understood that a knee pad of this form or any other form andconstruction may be substituted for the knee pad shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by reason of the adjustment ofthe several parts By making said body of the harness, it may be adaptedfor use upon persons of different size and that when applied it willbrace the lower portion of the iml: without interfering with the freemovement of the same, either at the knee or at the ankle. The harnesseffectively retains the improved pad in proper position at the knee sothat Whenever the wearer kneels the horns or spurs 4 will contact withthe ground and secure an efiective grip so that the knee will not slip.The peculiar construction of the knee pad not only effectively protectsand cushions the knee but also excludes dampness from the same.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a knee pad having aone-piece body curved transversely and having its upper and lower endscurved outwardly and pointed to provide single integral spurs to preventthe pad from slipping, a cushion lining in said body and means forattaching the pad to the human limb.

2. A device of the character described comprising a knee pad having abody curved transversely and also having its upper and lower ends curvedoutwardly and pointed to provide integral spurs, the side edges of saidbody being formed with rearwardly proj ecting integral ears havingtransverse slots, a cushion lining upon the inner face of the body, aone-piece leg strap passed through the slots in said ears and having itsends brought together and adjustably united, side bars having theirupper ends formed with longitudinal series of openings, transversepivots passed through said ears on the body of the knee pad and throughcertain of the openings in said side bars to adjustably pivot the kneepad to said side bars, a U- shaped heel strap having the intermediateortions of its parallel arms pivoted to the ower ends of said side barsand the projecting extremities of said arms formed with spaced slots,and a one piece instep strap passed through the slots at the ends of thearms of the heel strap and having its ends brought together and adjustably united.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afliX our signatures in the presence oftwo witnesses.

NICHOLAS HORATH. GROVER O. HORATH. ROBERT WILLIAMS.

l/Vitnesses MARION T. AUTLIEs, WILLIAM R. MIDDLETON.

